Traffic chaos in Heilbronn: AfD demo and triathlon at the weekend!

Traffic chaos in Heilbronn: AfD demo and triathlon at the weekend!

Next Saturday, May 31, 2025, the city of Heilbronn will be marked by two major events: the AfD state election meeting in the Harmonie Congress Center and a triathlon. These events bring with them significant traffic disruptions that begin early in the morning, as SWR reports.

The AfD event aims to allocate places on the list for the upcoming state elections in 2026. The police expect a high number of participants and have taken appropriate security precautions

. The protest movement “Network Against the Right” has organized a counter-demonstration in which it expects up to 700 participants. This starts on Saturday morning at 7 a.m. at Willy-Brandt-Platz and will move across several streets towards Harmonie. The final rally is planned for 12 p.m. on Allee and Karlstrasse, reports Echo24.

Traffic disruptions and diversions

The city administration has already announced significant traffic disruptions in the city center. From 2:30 a.m., the Allee between Theater and Kaiserstrasse and Karlstrasse between Allee and Gartenstrasse will be closed. These restrictions are expected to last until approximately 5:30 p.m. The S41 and S42 light rail lines will also only operate to a limited extent as some inner-city stops cannot be served. The Kaufland stop in particular remains closed, so alternative bus routes are switched on.

In addition, the triathlon will take place in Heilbronn on Sunday, where the German Middle Distance Triathlon Championships will take place. Around 1,500 athletes and thousands of spectators are expected for this. The swimming starts will take place in the Neckar, which will also lead to closures along the route. Here too, the police are on site with a large contingent to ensure peaceful coexistence.

Police presence and security

Police preparations include deploying anti-conflict teams to ensure the peaceful conduct of the events. They want to ensure the safety of everyone involved and local residents, especially given the two large and potentially conflict-filled events. Exact numbers of police forces deployed were not disclosed for tactical reasons.

In addition, the city has been confronted with an increased police presence since Monday in connection with a Kurdish event. In this “Long March” by a Kurdish youth organization, which leads from Heilbronn to Strasbourg, the participants demand freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, who is classified as a terrorist and is imprisoned in Turkey. The protest has already caused noticeable traffic disruptions, as Voice reports.

Residents and commuters are urged to prepare for the upcoming restrictions and plan alternative routes. Further information about the traffic restrictions can be found on the municipal utilities website.